Tom Hanks breaks silence on daughter’s claims of ‘abusive’ childhood

Tom Hanks has spoken out on his daughter E.A. Hanks' claims she lived an 'abusive' childhood

Tom Hanks praised his daughter E.A. (43) for the deeply personal memories of her childhood she shared in her 2025 autobiography, The 10: A Memoir of Family And The Open Road.

According to Sky News, E.A. Hanks' memoir details the "violence and deprivation" she endured living with her mother Samantha Lewes.

"I'm not surprised that my daughter had the wherewithal, as well as the curiosity, as well as, I’m going to say, perhaps, the 'shoot herself in the foot' kind of wherewithal in order to examine this thing that I think she was incredibly honest about", the oscar-winning actor told Access Hollywood of his feelings about the book at "The Phoenician Scheme" premiere last week, per Sky News.

“We all come from checked or cracked lives, all of us, despite the fact that part of it would seem as though she worked for some international well-known firm with a copyrighted last name,” Hanks continued.

“She knows that, and she leans into absolutely everything of it, and I think anyone who does that is a bold journalistic literary mind, and I’m thrilled I can say the same thing about my daughter.”

The Forest Gump actor shares daughter Elizabeth Ann and son Colin (47) with Samantha Lewis.

The couple got married in 1978 and filed for divorce in 1987.

In her book, Elizabeth Ann talks about moving to Sacramento with her mum after her parents split up. She claims her mother suffered from mental health issues, which led to her being abusive.

She goes on to write: “She pushed me, shook me, pulled at my hair and locked me in a closet once or twice … she told me there were men hiding in her closet who were waiting for us to go to sleep to come out and do horrible things.”

The author also alleged that Lewes would discuss her “miscarried babies", suggesting Elizabeth Ann would “join them in eternal limbo.”

When E.A. was 12 years old her mother's "emotional violence became physical violence", leading to E.A. moving to Los Angeles with her father.

Tom Hanks had already remarried his current wife, Rita Wilson, at the time.

In April, Elizabeth Ann told People: “Rita’s not really a stepmother, she’s my other mother.

“When I say my parents, I really mean my dad and Rita, because they’ve been together since before I can really remember.”

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson share sons Chet (34) and Truman (29).